Electric railway signaling apparatus.



PATENTED MARfls, 1906.

No."a15, 1s1.

- J. W. TATUM ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

- APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 2,1905.

31 wentoz 19% than UNITED 1ST 2113 T I C JAMES W LLIAM TATUM, or DU HAM, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR or, O1 }E-SIXTH*TO B. N. DUKE AND ONE-SIXTH TO l/V; t FULLERfOF .NEW -YOR K, N. YQ AND O NE-SIX H TOE. J. l; ARltISH,*ONE-SIXTH TO 1 JOHN W; SMITH, AND ONE- SIXTH TO ROBERT. BQQNE, QF DURHAM,

' NORTH CAROLINA.

E Ec'rm i RAILWAY SIGNALINGfAPPARATUs.

. l'b all whom it m/y con/berm I Be, it known that. I, JA ns WILLIAM .TA-

TUM, a citizen of the United States,'residing fatDurham, inth'e county of Durhamand State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Railmotives-andwhich serve to indicate the distancebetwe'en approaching trains, to sound i an. alarm when the trains approach each other within certain limits, and which p rovide for communication between trains The primary object of the invent-ion is to "provide an improved apparatus of the chariactermentioned embodying means for autoE-fn matically indicating the distance between approaching trains, to permit telephonic 2 5- communication between said trains, to sound an alarm when approaching within certain.

limits,- and also to permit transmission of messages by a key instrument in the event of unsatisfactory operation of the telephoneap- 3o" paratus.

A further objectlisto provide means coni trolled by the telephone apparatus to cutout j the alarm while said apparatus is in use with-- out disturbing or affecting the distance-indi gs catingmechanism, so that said alarm will not interfere with the sending of messages and at'the same time the indicator will remain in operation to indicate to the trainman using the telephone the distance between ,o the trains.

I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification','and -wherein I a Figure 1 is a diagrammati'c'view of the apparatus andits circuitse, Fig. 2 is afdetail e cuvev ew ofthe' combinedcutout and v ey'signaling device --forming a part of the "invention, and Fig, 3 is a detail viewof the switchoperated by the movement of the t elephone receiver hook.

Specificationof Letters Patent- Application filed June 2,1905. Serial No. 263,424:-

Patented March 13.190

1 designates a supporting or instrument board adapted to be supported in a vertical plane upon a railway-locomotive and upon which are, mounted the variousinstruments employed in connection Wlth my invention,

it being understood that each train of a systemis equipped-with such a set of instruments carried by the locomotive or other vehicle in the tre-in. I v

2 designates an overhead wire running parallel to the track along which the trains travel, said wire forming, together with the track-rails and the circuits carried by the trains-,- the circuit for transmitting intelligences between the trains. f

Carried by the'ca'r' upon which tus. is locatedis a trolley; or collector 3', ar-

ranged-to engage the overhead wire at'all.

times when the train is standing upon the track or'when traveling thereon, and from ed atone end to one of the poles of a battery 5, which supplies the current for the signaling system. The other pole of the battery is the appara this collector extends a conductor 4, connect;-

electrically connected, by rneans'of a 'conductor 6;, with a distance-indicating instru- I ment' 7 which consists of an ohm'meter'of' any .well-knownconstruction, the dial of which for the purpose of the use to which said instrument is employed being graduated in a scale of miles. ment the c rcuit 15 continued by'a wire 8 for a distance, when said c1rcu1t 13 divided into 1 said wires.

From the indicating instrutwo separate lines 9 10, each of which is so connected to a telephone transmitter, as

shown at 11, thatthe current necessarytor; i the operation of the latter inorderto transrnit messages may be supplied over eitherof Fromthe transmitter the conductor 10 is led to a point withinthe upper portiongof a slot' 12 in the telephone-casing, in which slot the receiver-hook moves,.the end ofsaid con ductor being provided with a contact mem ber of any suitable design constituting one membe r of a. switch or cut-out andvwhichin the present instanceis'shown .as"consistingot a coil-spring l3, disposedwithitsilongitudinal faxis extending horizontally in thei slot 12 The"transmitter circuit, includingthe wirea'l iscontinued by a wirelfi, the'end oft-helatter f l' i opposite tothat connected to the transmitter being connected to the magnet 16 of an alarmbell 17, the circuit being continued from said magnet by means of a' wire 18 .to a depending post 19, secured to thebottom of the car by means of a plate 20, suitably insulated from the car-body. Pivoted to the lower end of said post 19 is a swinging metallic arm;20,the free end of which is formed with a hook 21 to catch over and rest upon the axle 22 of the car and complete the circuit through said axle and car-wheel to the track-rail. be seen that when it is not desired to employ the apparatus the circuit may be broken by swinging se idarm upward on its pivot to throw the hooked end but of contact with the tact member to cooperate with that aboveaxle, It will thus be seen that when two vehicles equipped as above described are upon a single track the circuit is completed through the wire 2, the track-rails, and the circuits in' each other that the resistance of the circuits is overcome, at which time the bell will ring to give warning that the trains have approached each other within danger limits. The apparatus may be so regulated that any number of miles may be set as the danger limitsay one to three miles; If desired, a resistance element R of any desired form may be inserted in the wire 15, said resistance serving a purpose to be-presently set forth.

Pivotally mounted at one end u on the supporting-board is an arm 23 for t e telephone-receiver 24, said arm carrying a condescribed. This second contact member consists of a spiral 26, mounted upon the upper side of the telephone-hook, the arrangement being such that when the receiver 19 is moved from the hook of the arm 23 and said. arm moves upward in the usual manner said spiral contact 26 will be carried upward with the arm and pressed into the space between the convolutes of the coiled contact 13 and into' contact with the coils of the latter for a purpose to presently appear.

Connected with the contact 26 "is one end of a lead 27, which passes up through an opening 23 in the arm 23, and the other end of which is connected to the conductor 18, so that a second continuous circuit is completed by way of the wire 2, collector 3, wires 4 and 6 through the indicator, wires 8 and 10, the

It will undesirable to use the telephone.

transmitter, contacts 13 and 26, wires 27 to the track-rails through the arm 20 and the vehicle-axle.

It will be seen that the resistance in the circuit including the wires 6, 8, 9, 1'5, and 18 will be greater than that including the wires 6, 8, 1 0, and 27, for the reason that the firstnamed circuit includes a greater number of instruments embodying elements of high resistance than the latter circuit, the latter circuit not including the bell-magnets and the resistance R, the result being that when the gap between the wires 10 and 27 is closed and two completed independent circuits formed the natural tendency of the current will be to seek the path of least resistance, which will beby wa of the wires 10 and 27, so that the alarmbe 1 will be cut out of the cirucit or' insufficient current will flow through its magnetcoils to actuate its armature.

It will be seen that when the receiver 24' is removed from the hook topennit use of the telephone in transmitting messages between trains that the upward movement of the arm closes the circuit at the contacts 13' and 26, so that the bell is cut out and prevented from interfering with the sending of telephone-messages byreason of its noise; butat the same time the operation of the indicator and the transmitter will not be discontinued, as both of said instruments are still included in'a circuit including the wires 2, 4', 6, 8, 10, and 27 and the track-rail, the indicator therefore continuously indicating the relative position of the trains at all times. WVhen the receiver is replaced upon the hook, the flow throu h the line of least resistance is broken and t 1e current follows the line 6, 8, 9, 15, and 18, which is its normal condition during movementof the trains orwhen the latter are standing still.

Means is provided for breakingzthe circuit between the apparatus and the track-rails, so that the use of the ap aratus may be discontinued when desired said means embodyin a structure which will permit it 'to be use as a signal-transmitting instrument under circumstances when it is 1m ossible or This means consists of a switch or cut-out insertedin the circuit in the wire 18 beyond the point at which the wire 27 joins the-latter, said switch comprising a casing secured to the board 1, in which casing are arranged oppositely-disposed binding-posts 28, to whic the circuitwire 18 is connected, and bridging the space between these posts are overla'ppmgys ring contacts 29 30, connected, respective to said posts and so arranged as to normally engage each other at their meeting: or overlapping ends. Pivotally mounted in the casing upon a pin 31 is a key-lever 32, which is normally arranged to rest horizontally and is formed at its end within the casing with a foot or cam 33, extending downwardly at "right angles to the said lever substantially I 7 parallel to the overlapping contacts, the

pivot of the lever being so located that when the outer end of'the latter is depressed into a vertical position thefoot or camwill'en age the spring-contact 3 150 move" it out o engagement with the contact 29, so that the .1 circuit is broken and the operation of theinstrument discontinued. V

Formed in the lever 32 is a longitudinallyextending' slot 34, which receives the pivotpin 31-, heretofore mentioned, andwhich, it

will be seen, 'pro'videsfor a "backeandiorth may .be rec movement of saidlever on said pin, the arrangement; being such that when the circuits.

'engagement'with thecontactr29 -to make and break the circuit and enable the operator to utilize any desired system of signaling, the import ofwhich will be indicated on an approachsaid -lever.v

in train by the intermittent ringing of the be 117 thereon corresponding to'the making and breakingof Carried by and arranged in a lane at right angles thereto is a late saidplat'e standing vertically when t e lever is ,inits normal or horizontal 3 position and bearing any suitable inscription, such as O, K, to indicate to the operator that the/circuit is closed to insure operation of the instruments therein. Also'attached. to said lever andl 'ng flat thereon and in the same or a paralle horizontal plane is a sec- 0nd plate 36, which-whenthe lever is in a but when-said lever is moved downwardly horizontal plane is hidden by the-plate 85;

into a'vertieal position to open the contacts; 29 and30'said plate 36 will be dis osed in a vertical plane to dis lay the'face w 'ch is up-.,

permost when inv orizontal position and which bears a warning, such as "f Look out,

. consisting o to warn the attendant that the circuits are broken and the train is no longer protected by the signaling system. It Wlll be evident from reference to the 'd? awings-that the face of the plate 35, bearing the sign fO K will be turned downward when the lever is swung down into vertical position, so that the inscription on only one of the'plates will be displayed atone time,

, Having thus described my invention what I claim-as new, and desire tosecure by Let-' ters Patent, is-

1, In-an electric railway si n'aling system, the combination with sultab e circuits, of a signaling api paratus carried by a vehicle and I a line including a distance-indieating instrument, a telephone and an alarm,

- and a second line, including all of'said instruments with-the exception of'the alarm, and

th'ecircuit by-the operator of:

i the. free of key iever the telephoneto causethe current to flow .through said second' line whereby all of the instruments are operative but the alarm.

' 2. v Inan electric railway signaling system,

nali g apparatus carried by a "vehicle and consisting of a linef-ofhigh resistance including'a plurality of instruments, one- 0f which isan audible alarm, and a line of low resist-' ance includin'g all of the instrumentswith the the exception of the alarmpand meansfor ance. 4. In" an the combination with suit ab e circuits, of a line-of highresistance, including a distanceindicating instrument, a telephone and an alarm arrangedin series, and a shunt-line of low resistance connected at one end to said first-named line at a'point between the indicating instrumentand the telephone, and at the other end at a point beyond said alarm, said shunt' line ncludin the telephone, and means for opening and c osing the shunt-line; 5. In an electric' railway signaling system, the combination with suitable circuits, of a line of high'resistance, including a distance- 'indi c'ating' instrument, a telephone and'an first-named" line atxa point between the indi eating instrument and thet-elephone, and at the other end at'a point beyond said alarm, said shunt line including the telephone,

and a. key instrument located in the line of 'the combination with suitable circuits, of sigpaling apparatus carried by the vehicle and consisting of a line of high reslstance, includ ing a distance-indicating instrument,' a teleof lower resistance including all of said inswitch located insaid line of lower resistance, a I pivoted hook for the telephone-receiver,

ceiver' from the-hook permits the operation of the hook to close said'switch.

means rendered effective by the operation of exception of-said'alarm, and means rendered efie'ctive by the o eration 'of one or more'of said instruments or closing the line of low resistance whereby the current will be caused to flowsthereby and be diverted from'theline ance including all of said instruments with r opening and closing-.sa dillne of low res1stalarm arranged in series, and'a shunt-line of low, resistance connected at one end to said I Ineans'foropenin'g and closing the shunt-line,

higher resistance'at a pointbeyond the shunt,"

. 6, In an electric railway signaling system,.

phone and ah alarm arranged in series, a line ..7. In an cleet'ric railway signaling system, I

the combination'with suitable circuits, of sigv crajlwaysignaling system, i the combination with suitable circuits, of sigelectric" railway si nalingsystem;

IIS

.struments with the exception the alarm, a 4

and means whereby "the removal of the rethe combination with suitable circuits, of sig:

of lower resistance including the indicatinginstrument, and the telephone, and constituting a shunt to the line of high resistance, a movable hook for the telephone-receiver, a contact member associated therewith, a second contact member in said lo'w-resistance line circuit, and means whereby the removal of thereceiver from the hook causes the engagement of said contacts'to close the line of s low resistance.

8. In an electric railway signaling system, the combination with suitable circuits, of signaling apparatus carried by the vehicle, and consisting of a line of high resistance including a plurality of instruments, one of which is an audible alarm,"a line oflower resistance including all of the instruments with the exception of said alarm and constituting a shunt to the first-named line, and a combined switch and key signaling instrument located in the line of higher resistance beyond the shunt, and comprising normally closed contacts, and a lever arranged adjacent said contacts and constructed -to swing on its fulcruin to separate the contacts,-and also having a reciprocating movement, whereby the contacts may be intermittently separated.-

9. In an electric railway signaling system, the combination with suitable circuits, of signaling apparatus carried by the vehicle and consisting of a line of high resistance, including a plurality of instruments, one ofrwhich is an audible a arm, a line of lower resistance including all of the instruments with the exception of said alarm and constituting a shunt to the first-named line, a combined switch and key signaling instrument located in the line of higher resistance beyond the shunt, and comprising normally enga ed contacts, and a vertically-swinging lever ulcrumed adjacent said contacts and provided with a cam which operates to separate said naling apparatus carried by contacts by the swinging movement of the lever.

10. In an electric railway signaling system, the combination with suitable circuits, of sigthe vehicle and consisting of a line of high resistance, including a plurality of instruments, one of which is an audible alarm, a line of lower resistance including all of the instruments with the exception of said alarm and constituting a shunt to the first-named line, a combined switch and key si naling instrument located in the line of hi'glier resistance beyond the shunt and comprising normally enga ed contacts, a vertically-swingin lever fu crumed adjacent said contacts an cam which operates to separate said contacts by the swinging movement of the lever, and indicating devices carried by said lever to indicate the position of the contacts.

11-; Inan electric signaling apparatus, the combination with suitable circuits includin the track-rails, of signaling ap aratus carrie by a vehicle, and means or p acing said apparatus'incircuit with the rails consisting of an arm (pivoted to the vehicle-body, and hava paratus in circuit therewith, the free end of the arm being adapted to engage the axle of the vehicle.

12. In an electric signaling apparatus,'the combination with suitable circuits includin the track-rails, of signaling apparatus carried byavehicle, and means for lacing said ap aratus in circuit with the rail; consisting 0 an arm pivoted to the-bottom of the vehiclebody to swing in a vertical lane, and having said a paratus in circuit t erewith, the free end of? the arm being provided with a hook fidapted to engage over the axle of the veic e.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

JAMES WILLIAM TATUM. Witnesses:

R. P. READE, J. A. GILES.

provided with a 

